My new chaeto refugium

[Joe Rice]

About six weeks ago I set up a new refugium as my old in-sump one was no longer really growing macroalgae all that well. The old fuge's light wasn't very strong to begin with and it's gotten pretty old so it's probably dimmed even further. Plus I'd always wanted a larger one so I decided to devote half of this 30 gallon tank to growing chaeto.

This is what is looked like on October 18:

This is what it looks like today (6 weeks later):

And I've harvested and thrown away 5 shoeboxes worth of chaeto in the past 3 weeks.

The light fixture is a custom cowl that I built and painted white on the inside to redirect light spill back into the tank.

The light itself is a Mars Hydro grow light - sold more for hydroponics but only $70 for 100 watts of LED light.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VL8FZS1/

 

[sumant19]

Looks awesome! Is there any benefit of removing overgrown chaeto? I always see the pods swimming around on my refugium walls and hate the idea of killing even a small population of pods if I throw the chaeto away.

 

[Joe Rice]

Looks awesome! Is there any benefit of removing overgrown chaeto? I always see the pods swimming around on my refugium walls and hate the idea of killing even a small population of pods if I throw the chaeto away.

If you don't periodically remove some of the chaeto it will eventually stop growing. And it's only when growing that the chaeto is removing nutrients from the water.

 

[Zeefishies]

If you don't periodically remove some of the chaeto it will eventually stop growing. And it's only when growing that the chaeto is removing nutrients from th

Wow good to know,
When u remove some how much do u leave behind verses water volume ?

 

[Joe Rice]

Wow good to know,
When u remove some how much do u leave behind verses water volume ?

I leave probably 90% behind but if it keeps growing at this rate I might start taking more out at a time. Not really a function of water volume. I'd like to get it to where I only harvest once a week so that might require taking more each time.

My total water volume in this system is about 230 gallons, by the way.

 

[sumant19]

If you don't periodically remove some of the chaeto it will eventually stop growing. And it's only when growing that the chaeto is removing nutrients from the water.

That explains some things I am observing in my aquarium when it comes to nutrient export.. good to know.. thank you!